Winter Mudguards

Mudguards not only prevent murky water from getting you soaked, they also prevent water from spraying into the face of whoever is unlucky enough to be riding behind you.

For mudguards you generally have two options. The first is the classic mountain bike mudguards you often see. They are cheap, easy to fit on almost any bike and they do the job.

There’s also mudguards that look similar to the ones in the picture above. They provide superior waterproofing but won’t fit all bicycle types. We’ve recommended the SKS Bluemels Mudguards previously and we stand by our recommendation.

If you don’t have the proper attachments on your frame then the intelligently designed Crud RoadRacer is a great alternative.

You can easily ride out the winter without mudguards but your bike won’t thank you for it. All that murky water that is flicked up from the road often contains mud and petrol residue. Not an ideal combination for your chain, derailleur and brakes.

Winter Tyres

If you are riding with thin tyres for speed (23mm or less) then you may wish to consider something a little wider (25mm and above). This will provide a smoother ride and better grip. Also, look for tyres with additional puncture protection. This will help you avoid standing by the side of the road repairing a puncture in the rain.

I’ve always relied on the Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres which provide good grip during winter and very strong puncture protection. However, the newer Schwalbe Durano tyre is also very impressive. It provides more speed as well as many miles of good service. However, it lacks quite the same level of puncture resistance.

(See also: Tips for riding safely in the winter)

If we face a particularly bad winter this year then studded tyres may be a consideration. These perform far better in patches of ice and will keep you upright in bad conditions.

Bike lights

Here are four of the best bike lights that are essential for the winter bike setup.

Lubrication

During winter you need to step-up your cleaning and lubricating routine as it is washed away by rain and there’s more danger of rust. Remember to not go overboard as dirt will stick to the lube you apply and cause damage to your bike.

(See also: Which part of your bike should you lubricate)

Maintenance

This is not the time of the year to skimp on bicycle maintenance. Loose brakes could lead to a disaster. Grab our Bike Doctor app or head to the nearest bike shop and make sure your bike is ready to go.

See also:

• How to stay motivated to keep cycling when you look out your window and see this

Lifeline Professional Bicycle Toolkit

£89.99 | Available from Wiggle

When I was looking for a professional toolkit without an extreme price attached to it I knew I could rely on Lifeline. At just £89.99 this is a bargain price in comparison to other offerings. The quality of the tools suffers a little however, this shouldn’t be noticeable for most tasks and if you are only maintaining a fleet of a couple of bikes you’ll be fine. The ball-end Allen keys are an excellent inclusion to this 38 piece kit. A well thought out bicycle toolkit that will suit most casual bike mechanics.

Park Tool AK37 Advanced Mechanic Toolkit

£239.99 | Best price from Chain Reaction Cycles

Park Tool has always been known for its good quality and as a favourite choice of professional mechanics. The AK37, as you may have guessed, includes 37 tools. The bicycle toolkit is suitable for most common maintenance tasks. If you’ve got the money to spend then the extra investment is likely to mean these tools will last many lifetimes.

Pedro’s Master Tool Kit 3.0

£899.99 | Distributed by 2pure

If you are taking the first serious steps to transform yourself into a professional bike mechanic then the Pedro’s Master Tool Kit is the way to go about it. 64 very high quality tools are included but the price is enough to make you weep.

See also:

• Portable bike stands
• Bicycle maintenance: DIY or get someone else to do it for you?
• Repair your bike using your iPhone or Android
• Bicycle maintenance courses in London

Suspension on a mountain bike reduces rider fatigue and improves the bike wheels contact on rough terrain. When adjusting, your aim is to balance between a soft and a hard setup. Too soft will result in your bike wheels not travelling far enough in a dip and too hard will cause your bike to bounce off rough terrain.

The sag determines the amount that the mountain bike suspension compresses.

I’ve demonstrated the repair on a Voodoo Canzo bike which is a pretty high spec mountain bike.

Step 1: Measuring sag

If your bike doesn’t come with an O-ring, as the Voodoo Canzo does, then simply secure a zip tie around the leg. Then, slide it down the fork leg until it reaches the fork wiper seal.

Step 2: Sit on the bike

Next, you’ll need to get a friend to hold you in position or alternatively prop yourself up against a wall using your elbow.

Sit down on the bike in the normal riding position and be careful not to compress the fork too much as you get on. If you do then simply take your weight off the bike and reset the O-ring or zip tie.

Step 3: Aiming for 20-25%

Then, climb off the bike, whilst being cautious not to compress the fork further.

Measure the sag from the fork leg. You need to be aiming for 20% to 25% of the total travel available. The total travel available can be found in the bicycle’s handbook or, if you’ve lost that, then by looking it up online.

The Canzo features the Rockshox Ario R by Sram. This has 140mm of travel. The manufacturer recommends, 15-25% of travel is 28mm (20%).

Note that the 20% to 25% is a general recommendation that works for most. However, you may find yourself adjusting this depending on your riding style.

Step 4: Increasing or decreasing pressure

If your bike has air sprung forks then you decrease the air pressure to increase the sag. Alternatively, increase the air pressure by pumping more air into the fork to reduce the amount of sag.

Depending on your measurement, either increase or decrease the sag, remembering to aim for around 20% to 25% sag. You should make incremental changes and check them by re-setting the O-ring and climbing back on the bike.

Your mountain bike may use a coil-sprung system instead. In this case, adjustments are made using the dial on the fork crown that controls the spring. This has a limited range of adjustment. If you need to make further changes you’ll need a firmer or softer spring. However, the default spring should be fine for most situations. To increase the sag in a coil-sprung system simply turn anti-clockwise.

There is also one more factor to take into account. Something that is called bottoming out. This is when the suspension reaches the end of travel when you hit rough terrain. On the opposite end of the scale, is an effect called topping out. This is when the suspension reaches its full extension. Budget mountain bikes don’t have a system to control this and therefore the bike bobs up and down. On a budget mountain bike your only option therefore is to increase the spring rate if the fork is bottoming out too much. Note that some bottoming out isn’t a problem.

Higher end mountain bikes have a compression damping which can be increased if the fork is bottoming out too often.

Suspension fork sag adjustment

As I mentioned in the beginning this is a good adjustment to make when you first buy a mountain bike. Always consult with the manual when it comes to making adjustments like these or alternatively check with official advice online. Unfortunately, manufacturers don’t always make this as easy to find as you’d like.

See also:

• Assembling a flat pack bike
• Replacing hydraulic disk brake pads
• Fixing the most common mechanical problem with bikes in London

A lot of people these days are tempted to order bikes online. However, there is often a fear of what will happen when the bike arrives. How hard will it be to assemble? Will something go wrong?

Fortunately, the way bikes are flat packed these days, it’s a five minute job to set them up correctly. At least it is when you order off reliable retailers *cough* Toys R Us is rubbish *cough*.

When a bike arrives these days it will look a little something like this:

Out of the box it will look like this:

As demonstrated by the rather gorgeous Canzo by VooDoo bikes. I’ll be testing the gorgeous Canzo, as it will hence forth be known, more thoroughly over the coming months and posting a full review. Hat tip to Halfords for sending me this bike.

Flat pack bike assembly: Stage 1

Use some form of cutting device to remove the various packaging. Be careful not to scratch the pretty frame. Note: You may wish to keep the box for playing games such as this:

Flat pack bike assembly: Stage 2

Straighten the handlebars so that they are aligned with the front wheel.

It is crucially important here to tighten the bolts in the right order. The top cap should always be tightened before tightening the stem bolts. Otherwise, you can cause damage to your headset.

The bolts that hold the handlebars from shifting forwards will also need to be tightened.

Warning! Be careful not to over-tighten these bolts. They should be tightened just enough to ensure the handlebars don’t turn out of position. If you over-tighten then there is potential to damage the bearings

Check that the bars are aligned in the center.

It is a similar system on a road bike. On the Trek Madone you can see there is also an indicator to help you centre align the bars.

Flat pack bike assembly: Stage 3

Check that the pedals have grease on the threads. If not then add some now. You should also check there is grease on the bottom bracket threads. These are two areas of the bike that have massive pressure exerted upon them so making sure they are properly greased is very important.

Then, check which is the right pedal and which is the left. This will be marked on the pedal.

Use a wrench to tighten the pedal firmly into position.

Important! The left pedal is tightened through a counter clockwise motion as it is reverse threaded.

Flat pack bike assembly: Stage 4

Pump up your tyres to the recommended pressure as indicated on the tyre and add the saddle. Although in most flat packed bikes this is already done.

Flat pack bike assembly: Stage 5

Just some final checks to do now:

1. Make sure the brakes are working
2. Check the wheels don’t feel loose and the bolts are tight
3. Add any accessories and ensure they are firmly tightened
4. Check nothing feels loose

Finally, make a note of the frame number in case the bike is stolen.

Now head off and ride but take an Allen Key with you as you will need to make a few adjustments to get things just right. A bike does take some “bedding in” which means after you’ve done some mileage you are likely to need to come back to make minor tweaks.

Note: I’ll be adding this repair to the Bike Doctor App (Android and iPhone) soon!

See also:

• Replacing your bicycle tyres for a smoother ride
• Fixing the most common mechanical problem with bikes in London
• Portable bike stands
• Repair your bike using your iPhone

I posted in the winter, here, about changing my tyres from the factory settings to winter tyres and I’ve been thinking about changing them again.

My commuter bike came with basic specialised tyres which I changed to Schwalbe Marathon Plus, mainly because of the reflective strip on the tyre wall and the reputation they have for being puncture proof. The irony of that change was that, almost immediately, I got a puncture! I think that it would have happened anyway and it was through no fault of the tyre. In ordinary circumstances I can’t see anything getting through the walls of those but there it is, it happened.

I changed the tyres on my Mixte to the ordinary Schwalbe Marathons and I’ve had no problems at all. I changed the tyres on my Wilier to Continental Gatorskins and I’ve no plans to change them again. They really are a four-season tyre. Even though they may be a bit more solid than the factory slicks, they ride so well. They’re a smooth ride and, up to now, no punctures. They grip the road well and feel solid.

But the Marathons are very heavy going. Fine for the commuter bike but when I did the rebuild on the Mixte, Diego at Racer Rosa put a pair of Bontranger Racelights on instead of the Schwalbe Marathon. I’ve got the hard case version, and, very much like the Continental, they are a really smooth ride, hard and grippy, if that’s even a noun!

There are further ironies to this story. I spend a great deal of my time changing and testing the different components of my bikes, from pedals to saddles, tyres to gearing, trying to get the combinations just right. But on my ancient Trek which I keep over in Antwerp, I’ve not changed a thing and nothing has ever failed or felt wrong. The rear light has been going for as long as I’ve had the bike, which is about 18 years and I can’t remember ever having changed the battery! I’ve had one rear puncture. I really can’t remember ever having cleaned it or done anything to it in all those years and it’s been ridden consistently in all that time. I did a 70 km ride on it in the spring, it’s done the London to Brighton and it’s been my go-to ride and never had an up grade. What does that tell me about the squillions I spend on the rest?

I think we all know the answer to that….but I still like the process. And if it wasn’t bikes it would be shoes!

I’m away on my summer cycling oddessy for the next three weeks and I’ll be back at the beginning of August. I’ve brought the re-built Mixte over to France and I’ll be writing a full review of it when I get back. In the meantime, happy cycling…..

Big thank you to Mark’s Cycle Repairs for helping me put this repair together for the Bike Doctor App (Already in iPhone version, soon to be in Android version)

Mark offers excellent prices and repairs for all sorts of bikes and if you live in the direction of Kent (Orpington) specifically then you should check him out:

http://www.markscyclerepairs.com/

To replace hydraulic disk brake pads you will need:

• New brake pads – similar to the ones you are using before
• Pliers – to pull out the retaining pin
• Tyre lever or pad separator – to pry open tightly closed pistons
• Disk brake cleaner – if you feel the rotor needs cleaning

Background to the repair:

Hydraulic Disk Brake Pads are well known for needing little maintenance. The piston automatically moves in as the pads wear and therefore you don’t spend every other weekend tweaking them (damn you V-brakes!).

Pads need to be replaced once they reach 1mm or less or thickness. After that they’ll start to wear out the rotors.

This repair is useful for just doing an inspection of the pads and if they are worn then heading to the local bike shop to buy a replacement.

Disk brake Pad types

Two types of pad can be used for disk brake repair. Organic and sintered. Many pro-riders use one of each in the calliper to get both the benefits.

Organic pads will need some breaking in before any heavy riding. A couple of hard stops helps to get them working correctly. Sintered pads don’t need breaking in. They are hotter and somewhat heavier than organic pads but are ont appropriate in all disk brake systems. Whilst more effective, they do wear out the rotor more quickly than organic pads will.

Additional notes on the video:

Your disk brake design will vary slightly. Some pads for example are held in place using bolts instead of split pins. Also some disk brake pads are removed upwards instead of downwards. Be aware of this when following the instructions.

During the repair when the pads are out is a good opportunity to clean the calliper. Do so using an old toothbrush or a cotton swab.

Any questions feel free to ask below! Hope this video is of use and if it is please do hit the like button as it means more people get to see it!

See also:

• Bike Doctor App
• Mark’s Cycle Repairs
• Fixing the most common mechanical problem with bikes in London
• The Ultimate Guide to Bicycle Maintenance review

In the overhauling an old bike series we come up to our latest upgrade. The bicycle tyres – a fairly economic upgrade at £25 per tyre.

When do I change my bicycle tyres?

If your tyre looks a little like my old tyre in the picture above then it’s probably time to upgrade. As you can see in the picture the treads in the tyre are significantly worn. Whilst there are a lot of chips in the tyre this shouldn’t necessarily be a problem unless you are noticing many more punctures. Another tell-tale sign of replacement is if the tire appears irregular.

I’ll try and avoid quoting any mileage figures because these tend to be a very rough guide. You’ll probably find you’ll need to replace the rear tyre before the front.

What tyres do I buy?

I’ve previous listed some excellent puncture proof tyres and I suggest that is a good place to start. Whilst it’s possible to buy tyres at half the cost of the Schwalbe Marathon Plus I strongly recommend them for puncture resistance without compromising on rolling resistance.

I’ve found Chain Reaction Cycles offer the best prices on bicycle tyres.

If you want to dive into more depth about the different type of bicycle tyres then an article on REI.com is very thorough.

(See also: Continental City Contact Tyre i.e. Whooosh!)

What size tyres do I need?

The general answer to this question is to check the tyre on your bike and then buy the same size again. The tyre will be marked with something along the lines of 700 x 32. The first number is the diameter of the wheel in millimetres and the second is the width of the bicycle tyre.

You may choose to experiment a little with a different tyre size. What you’ll generally find is larger tyres will provide better handling and comfort where as the smaller ones will make you a little zippier.

Having said that, your wheels won’t fit all tyre sizes and therefore you are restricted in your choice.

I thoroughly recommend an article on Tyre sizing by Sheldon Brown. Here you’ll discover what size tyres your wheels can take.

Personally, I opted for one size down from the wide tyre I was running before.

How do I replace my bicycle tyres?

1. Take the wheel off the frame.
2. Deflate the inner tube by pressing down on the valve.
3. Use tyre levers to get the tyre off your bike.
4. Remove the old tyre and the inner tube off your wheel.
5. If your new tyre has a tread pattern then make sure it is facing forwards. This allows the rain water to run off the bike. Many bicycle tyres will often have a forward arrow to indicate direction.
6. Line up the label on the tyre with your valve on your inner tube.
7. Partially inflate the inner tube.
8. Ease the tyre with the inner tube inside back onto the wheel.
9. Start from the valve side and work your way around. This can be fiddly at times.
10. You should work your way around again once the tyre is on to be 100% sure that the inner tube isn’t caught against the tyre and the rim.
11. Fully inflate the inner tube to the indicated pressure on the tyre.
12. Put the wheel back on the bike and securely fasten it in place.

Also in this bike overhaul series:

• Overhauling your old bike part 1
• Fixing the most common mechanical problem with bikes in London
• Replacing jockey wheels

They are nearly 5 years old so it’s time for a replacement. If your jockey wheels are looking worn out by rust or their teeth have worn away then a replacement is easy. Most jockey wheels can be simply taken off, cleaned, greased and then put back on the bike.

1. If the old jockey wheels are looking worn out then get yourself a pair of new jockey wheels. Note that the upper and lower jockey wheels are normally slightly different in size. You can use your existing pair of jockey wheels to work out which new ones you need. As my drivetrain is a Shimano and it’s a hybrid bike, I needed Shimano mountain bike jockey wheels.
2. Grab some grease and an Allen Key.
3. Get the chain off the bike using a quick release link or a chain tool if your chain doesn’t have a quick link.
4. Choose which one of the two jockey wheels you will service first. It’s best to do them one at a time so as not to be confused as to which one goes where.
5. Undo the bolt using an Allen key and clean the jockey wheel.
6. Apply grease to the bolt, bushing sleeve and inside the pulley wheel.
7. Put the jockey wheel back together and re-attach it to your bike. Making sure to firmly tighten it.
8. Repeat with the other jockey wheel
9. Re-attach the chain making sure to thread it over the top jockey wheel (it will currently be at the bottom height wise), under the top jockey wheel and finally up and over the lower jockey wheel.
10. Re-attach the quick release link or push the chain pin back in using a chain tool.

For a video of how to do this I recommend Bicycle Tutor.

Also in this overhauling your bike series:

• Chain and V-brake maintenance

I must be one of thousands of London cyclists who’ve experienced this. How do I know it? Because I hear the grinding sound all the time. At traffic lights especially.

But why? Why is your beautiful bike causing you so much hassle at this moment of need and potentially putting you in a dangerous situation?

The answer probably lies in the cassette.

The cassette is a true thing of beauty. A complex marvel representing the progress of bicycles. But when it is worn out it’s a true pain the %*$£”!

When you apply pressure to the pedals the chain tries to grip the teeth. If the teeth are too worn then the chain will simply slide forward.

Before definitely pointing the finger of blame on the cassette it is worth noting that there are other potential culprits. One is the chain. Two is the rear derailleur indexing.

With some Poirot style investigating you should be able to find whodunit. The first thing to do is to check if the chain is worn.

If the chain seems worn then maybe it is a good time to replace it. It is also worth checking the teeth on the cassette. The one in the picture above is worn out where as the below is a new cassette. You can see a new cassette has more clearly defined teeth.

Replacing the cassette

If this is your culprit then replacement is fairly easy. For the bike shop route you’ll be looking at £25 for labour plus the cost of parts. For a Shimano cassette the cost can be as little as £23.99. But the prices go up from there.

You could also choose to do it yourself. The only bad news about this is that you do need some bike specific tools. Namely a chain whip and a lockring tool. This will set you back £10 – £20. You’ll also need a spanner or a wrench.

Doing it yourself will work out cheaper even with purchasing the tools.

I put together this below video while I was doing the cassette replacement on my bike. Note that it is common practise to replace the chain at the same time as installing a new cassette (unless the chain is only a few weeks old anyway).

Also in the overhauling your bike series:

• Replacing your chain and overhauling your v brakes

In part 1 of the series I’ll be covering the parts that most commonly need replacing. The chain and the brake pads. Next week I’ll talk about replacing jockey wheels.

You should subscribe to the newsletter if you want to make sure you don’t miss out on the next post about restoring an old bike.

Giving your bike a good clean

The first stage in fixing up an old bike is to give it a good scrub. For some good tips checkout my post on bike cleaning. Remember to thoroughly wash away any degreaser you use as it can damage the bike, if left on there for too long.

Overhauling an old bike

The basic premise of a bike overhaul is to take apart the different components, clean them, re-grease them and then re-install them. You also need to identify any components that need replacing.

The first video shows you how to replace your chain.

The second video is about overhauling v brakes.

Essentials for overhauling an old bike

• New chain (£10) – I have a 9 speed bike (9 rear sprockets on the cassette). Therefore, I need a 9 speed chain (9sp). I tend to opt for SRAM with a quick release link. This is because SRAM is a trusted brand and the quick release means I can easily take the chain on and off. I recently paid £22.99 for an SRAM PC951 then subsequently found it online for half the price. Chain Reaction Cycles is a good place to check for bike components.
• Chain tool (£11.99) – This is used to shorten the length of a chain. Or, to release a chain, if you don’t have a quick release link.
• New brake pads – Aim to buy something similar to what you already have. If you are cycling in the winter, then it generally isn’t worth you spending more money on a more expensive set of pads as they are likely to also wear out quickly. In the summer months you can spend a little more if you wish.
• Allen key – absolutely essential tool!
• Grease – On any unexposed components grease helps keep the water out and keep things moving.

Also in this series:

• Fixing the most common mechanical problem with bikes in London
• Breathing new life into an old bike